Disable Air Bag Light

**Mark Redman** · 23-02-2009,08:55 PM

My question is can the air bag light system be disabled on my Passat? I currently have a fault with pass side, side air bag, tried the connector under the seat, checked the wiring to the air bag for chaffing no faults found. Now if it can be done i just want the light out, don't care if air bag never works again

just fed up with it. Any help would be Brill !!! cheers.

**Frenchman** · 23-02-2009,09:22 PM

I don't think you can turn off the light, but you do need either vag-com or another tool to clear the fault even after you have fixed the problem, do you have a cable and vag-com? if not where are you based,? I know how annoying the airbag light is, as I had the same problem. When the light is on the entire airbag system is disabled so I am led to believe, so in an accident they will not deploy, well worth fixing the fault.

Frenchman

**Mark Redman** · 23-02-2009,09:32 PM

Originally Posted by Frenchman

I don't think you can turn off the light, but you do need either vag-com or another tool to clear the fault even after you have fixed the problem, do you have a cable and vag-com? if not where are you based,? I know how annoying the airbag light is, as I had the same problem. When the light is on the entire airbag system is disabled so I am led to believe, so in an accident they will not deploy, well worth fixing the fault.

Frenchman

Hi Frenchman i do have access to a reset tool which i have used but after 20 secs fault comes back so i need to trace it but i have had no luck! So i'm thinking desperate measures now.

**Frenchman** · 23-02-2009,09:41 PM

You could do with reading the fault code with vag-com to be sure which airbag it is and the exact fault. I cut the under seat connectors off and soldered the wires together, this cleared the first fault. But I also had an 65535 airbag control unit fault which vag-com cannot clear, but I got another tool to clear that and now its ok.

If you don't have vag-com it might be worth posting in the vag section to see if anyone local can read the faults for you.

Frenchman

**Mark Redman** · 23-02-2009,09:50 PM

Hi i will try that later, i too have chopped off the connector and soldered it up with out any luck. Thanks for your advice cheers

**martin1810** · 23-02-2009,10:07 PM

It is possible to use a substitute resistance to isolate which air bag circuit is faulty. You need a vag-com read to point you towards a circuit so you don't have to test them all. Unless you are comfortable with electronics i would leave this to a specialist.

**Mark Redman** · 23-02-2009,11:45 PM

Hi Martin so although i know its my n/s side airbag thats causing the problem, you don't think i can just adjust the resistance in the wiring of the side airbag circuit ie introduce resistors into the circuit problem is where and how!!! Oh well i will have to acquire vag-com read from someone with knowledge of how to go about this mod preferably in my area Bristol.

**martin1810** · 24-02-2009,11:34 AM

I am not suggesting you do this. MESSING WITH AIR BAGS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE.
If the wires were cut where the seat connector was. If a variable resistor was placed across the cut ecu wires. (NOT AIR BAG) Starting with the variable resistor set at more than 5 ohms.
The varaiable resistor could be wound down abit at a time. Each time it was wound down the light woud have to be reset. At about two ohms, the light should go out and stay out.
If it does you know the seat wire or seat airbag is faulty. A resistance MUST NOT be left substituted for the passenger airbag !!!!! NEVER try to measure the resistance of the airbag circuit.

**cazyp** · 24-02-2009,11:44 AM

In the bad old days people would wire the airbag light to the oil light so as to pass an MOT.

**Mark Redman** · 24-02-2009,04:30 PM

Originally Posted by martin1810

I am not suggesting you do this. MESSING WITH AIR BAGS CAN BE DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE.
If the wires were cut where the seat connector was. If a variable resistor was placed across the cut ecu wires. (NOT AIR BAG) Starting with the variable resistor set at more than 5 ohms.
The varaiable resistor could be wound down abit at a time. Each time it was wound down the light woud have to be reset. At about two ohms, the light should go out and stay out.
If it does you know the seat wire or seat airbag is faulty. A resistance MUST NOT be left substituted for the passenger airbag !!!!! NEVER try to measure the resistance of the airbag circuit.

Hi thanks for your input most helpful, i realise this could be dangerous without some skill. The resistor you mention would only have two legs and i know there is three wires under my seat so i'm not really sure which wires would be used to accomadate the resistor? I might well try this approach but only with correct info on those wires or am i barking up the wrong tree?????